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Vega's Piece of the Sky
A meteorite comes crashing down on the lives of three middle schoolers changing everything they know about family, friendships, and community in this charming and heartfelt novel with a light STEM touch.
The meteorite is just the latest thing to crash, uninvited, into Vega Lucero’s road-stop hometown. But when she discovers how much a chunk of the space rock might be worth, she realizes it’s exactly the treasure she’s been hoping to find—and maybe a way to convince her mom not to sell the family store to big city developers to help pay for her grandpa Tata's medical expenses.
Determined to find more pieces of the sky somewhere in the perilous desert wilderness, stubbornly independent Vega must set aside her distrust of outsiders to team up with Jasper, a would-be rival—and her own tagalong cousin Mila—on an overnight adventure to find more meteorites before the professional hunters who have descended on Date City do. But along the way, she realizes that she's not the only one with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Jasper and Mila have secrets and worries of their own that has brought them on this journey.
Together, this ragtag group will battle against coyotes, a flood, and scorpions. But what they will ultimately discover is that no treasure is big enough to prevent unwelcome change. Only family and friends can help weather the unexpected that life brings.
The meteorite is just the latest thing to crash, uninvited, into Vega Lucero’s road-stop hometown. But when she discovers how much a chunk of the space rock might be worth, she realizes it’s exactly the treasure she’s been hoping to find—and maybe a way to convince her mom not to sell the family store to big city developers to help pay for her grandpa Tata's medical expenses.
Determined to find more pieces of the sky somewhere in the perilous desert wilderness, stubbornly independent Vega must set aside her distrust of outsiders to team up with Jasper, a would-be rival—and her own tagalong cousin Mila—on an overnight adventure to find more meteorites before the professional hunters who have descended on Date City do. But along the way, she realizes that she's not the only one with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Jasper and Mila have secrets and worries of their own that has brought them on this journey.
Together, this ragtag group will battle against coyotes, a flood, and scorpions. But what they will ultimately discover is that no treasure is big enough to prevent unwelcome change. Only family and friends can help weather the unexpected that life brings.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published June 11, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 14, 2024
This quick read was just the right amount of adventure and suspense. A meteorite comes crashing down on the lives of three middle schoolers. And finding it could solve all their problems. But, first they have to battle against coyotes, a flood, and getting lost in the desert at night. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good adventure.
April 3, 2024
This is an interesting take on the classic story of children trying to solve the problems of the adults. In this case, Vega wants to save her home and store. Mila, her cousin, is tagging along with her, and doesn’t say why she wants to find a meteorite. Jasper wants to find one because his father has been searching for so long that Jasper is never home to play baseball, or live a “normal” life.
All three go out to where the meteorite went down, in the middle of the night, each with righteous indignation that they should be the one to find it, not the other seekers, not the local college, no one else, because each of them needs to be the one to find it.
This is a very quick middle grade read, and you feel for each of the children, and cheer them all on. They all deserve to “win”. I like how we never know,until the end, who will be the one.
I also like that Mila cares, and doesn’t care. That she would rather look at the constellations, and it turns out to be a good thing that she does. It is interesting that she likes Cigna, the swan the best. My favorite is Orion's belt, but you can’t see that in the summer, and this story takes place at that time.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 11th of June 2024.
All three go out to where the meteorite went down, in the middle of the night, each with righteous indignation that they should be the one to find it, not the other seekers, not the local college, no one else, because each of them needs to be the one to find it.
This is a very quick middle grade read, and you feel for each of the children, and cheer them all on. They all deserve to “win”. I like how we never know,until the end, who will be the one.
I also like that Mila cares, and doesn’t care. That she would rather look at the constellations, and it turns out to be a good thing that she does. It is interesting that she likes Cigna, the swan the best. My favorite is Orion's belt, but you can’t see that in the summer, and this story takes place at that time.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 11th of June 2024.
May 24, 2024
Vega and her family own a small convince store in a small town surrounded by desert. Her cousin Mila is visiting for the summer and something amazing happens. A meteorite falls in their town and everyone is on the hunt for pieces of it. Jasper and his dad come to town to join the hunt.
This was a good contemporary middle grade novel. I liked all of the characters and the different problems discussed in here. We have some family stuff and friend stuff. It showed some good lessons on family and friendship.
It wasn’t quite a five star for me but I did like it! I think kids will enjoy this one.
Thanks so much to netgalley and Little Brown for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!
This was a good contemporary middle grade novel. I liked all of the characters and the different problems discussed in here. We have some family stuff and friend stuff. It showed some good lessons on family and friendship.
It wasn’t quite a five star for me but I did like it! I think kids will enjoy this one.
Thanks so much to netgalley and Little Brown for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!
October 4, 2025
Vega is a Latine girl who lives in the desert of California. Her cousin, Mila is visiting for the summer. Vega’s family owns a market-The Lone Star- that Vega’s Mom is running because her Tata (Grandpa) has fallen and broken his hip. A meteorite falls in the desert and Veda, Mila and a boy named Jasper, who came to town with his dad to find a piece of this meteorite, set off together at night to be the first to get the treasure.
August 18, 2024
Vega, her cousin Mila, and a stranger to Date City, all have different reasons to want to find a piece of the meteor that struck somewhere in the Bobcat Mountains. Their journey together one night reveals each person's dreads and desires.
February 14, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Vega lives in Date City, near the desert, with her brother Felix, who is taking classes at the local community college, and her mother, who runs Tia Clara's market. Her cousin, Mila, is spending the summer with the family, since her parents have decided she needed a change of scenery. Because Vega's grandfather is struggling after an injury, the mother is thinking of selling the store to developers who want to build a cottage community. When there is a fireball and a meterorite falls in the desert, there are a lot of tourists who come looking to find pieces of it. Two of these are Jasper and his dad, who is bound and determined to find pieces and sell them. Vega sells them a map, but decides to head out into the desert on her own in order to find them. She sneaks out at night into the Bobcat Mountain Wilderness, and runs in to Jasper, who has the same idea. The two are fairly prepared for their adventure, but when they happen upon Mila, who followed Vega out, they are dismayed that she is in pajama pants and flip flops, and has brought a telescope and book in her pack instead of food, water, or a flashlight. Things don't go particularly well, especially when Mila falls into a crevice. They manage to get her out, and even find a piece of meteorite, but their progress is definitely impeded. They have to deal with coyotes, rain, a hurt ankle, and even a scorpion that bites Jasper. Luckily, his father has followed the group, but he is only willing to take Jasper back. He's also determined to keep the meteorite, even though Jasper has given it to Vega. Will the girls be able to make it home and save the store?
Strengths: Vega's desire to save her mother's business, which has been in the family for a long time, is understandable, especially when we learn about more of her motivation concerning her grandfather. She is fairly prepared for her trek into the desert, and I love that she has a scientific bend. Jasper is an intriguing character; his father is a complete jerk, but Jasper ends up being particularly nice. The trek through the desert is well described, and the different obstacles that the children face add to the feeling of suspense. There is a feel good ending to this one, but I don't want to give too many details and spoil it.
Weaknesses: Note to young readers: Do not sneak out at night. It's a very, very bad idea. Your parents need to know where you are. Do not do this, especially if you are living in the desert, because there are scorpions. Or on Mars.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the outdoor adventure of Greenland's Scouts, Bowling's Across the Desert, or Lambert's Distress Signal. Also, I am never, ever going to go into the desert unless I can bring a whole wagonful of supplies!
Vega lives in Date City, near the desert, with her brother Felix, who is taking classes at the local community college, and her mother, who runs Tia Clara's market. Her cousin, Mila, is spending the summer with the family, since her parents have decided she needed a change of scenery. Because Vega's grandfather is struggling after an injury, the mother is thinking of selling the store to developers who want to build a cottage community. When there is a fireball and a meterorite falls in the desert, there are a lot of tourists who come looking to find pieces of it. Two of these are Jasper and his dad, who is bound and determined to find pieces and sell them. Vega sells them a map, but decides to head out into the desert on her own in order to find them. She sneaks out at night into the Bobcat Mountain Wilderness, and runs in to Jasper, who has the same idea. The two are fairly prepared for their adventure, but when they happen upon Mila, who followed Vega out, they are dismayed that she is in pajama pants and flip flops, and has brought a telescope and book in her pack instead of food, water, or a flashlight. Things don't go particularly well, especially when Mila falls into a crevice. They manage to get her out, and even find a piece of meteorite, but their progress is definitely impeded. They have to deal with coyotes, rain, a hurt ankle, and even a scorpion that bites Jasper. Luckily, his father has followed the group, but he is only willing to take Jasper back. He's also determined to keep the meteorite, even though Jasper has given it to Vega. Will the girls be able to make it home and save the store?
Strengths: Vega's desire to save her mother's business, which has been in the family for a long time, is understandable, especially when we learn about more of her motivation concerning her grandfather. She is fairly prepared for her trek into the desert, and I love that she has a scientific bend. Jasper is an intriguing character; his father is a complete jerk, but Jasper ends up being particularly nice. The trek through the desert is well described, and the different obstacles that the children face add to the feeling of suspense. There is a feel good ending to this one, but I don't want to give too many details and spoil it.
Weaknesses: Note to young readers: Do not sneak out at night. It's a very, very bad idea. Your parents need to know where you are. Do not do this, especially if you are living in the desert, because there are scorpions. Or on Mars.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the outdoor adventure of Greenland's Scouts, Bowling's Across the Desert, or Lambert's Distress Signal. Also, I am never, ever going to go into the desert unless I can bring a whole wagonful of supplies!
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August 15, 2024There’s a lot weighing on Vega Lucero’s mind these days. She’s worried about her abuelo, Tata, after his fall. She’s also stressed about the prospect of her mom selling their family business, the Lone Star Market. Situated in Vega’s rest-stop desert hometown of Date City, the small store sells mostly snack food and necessities like sunblock and cold medicine. It’s been in the family for generations.
“What would happen to the Lone Star if we went away?” Vega wonders. “What would happen to all of our stories?”
One day, as these intrusive thoughts take over, something flashes at the edge of Vega’s vision. A fireball blazes in the sky over her family store and disappears into the wilderness. Vega will soon find out it was a meteorite. And she’ll also learn just how much it could be worth. So Vega devises a plan: If she could only find the meteorite and sell it, then she could take care of Tata’s medical expenses and save the store.
Vega’s Piece of the Sky by Jennifer Torres is an engrossing and heartfelt middle grade novel about three middle schoolers whose lives intersect when a meteorite crashes down in California’s Imperial Valley. The book’s chapters alternate between the first-person voice of Vega, and the third-person narration over Vega’s very anxious cousin, Mila, and an out-of-towner named Jasper – the son of a zealous meteorite hunter. Both Vega and Jasper have their own motives for wanting to find the meteorite, and Torres does an effective job at concealing them from the other characters. Readers may also find Mila’s story intriguing, as we don’t initially know the reason her parents sent her to stay with Vega for the summer.
Vega, Mila, and Jasper embark on an overnight adventure and a treasure hunt that feels very urgent – as urgent as anything can feel for the middle schoolers. Out now from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Vega’s Piece of the Sky has just the right amount of knowledge tidbits about meteorites and space, and plenty of heart. This is a wonderful book for readers who want a story that is both touching and filled with excitement.
I spoke with Jennifer Torres for Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind Vega’s Piece of the Sky, her research process, and more. You can read the full interview here: https://latinxinpublishing.com/blog/v...
“What would happen to the Lone Star if we went away?” Vega wonders. “What would happen to all of our stories?”
One day, as these intrusive thoughts take over, something flashes at the edge of Vega’s vision. A fireball blazes in the sky over her family store and disappears into the wilderness. Vega will soon find out it was a meteorite. And she’ll also learn just how much it could be worth. So Vega devises a plan: If she could only find the meteorite and sell it, then she could take care of Tata’s medical expenses and save the store.
Vega’s Piece of the Sky by Jennifer Torres is an engrossing and heartfelt middle grade novel about three middle schoolers whose lives intersect when a meteorite crashes down in California’s Imperial Valley. The book’s chapters alternate between the first-person voice of Vega, and the third-person narration over Vega’s very anxious cousin, Mila, and an out-of-towner named Jasper – the son of a zealous meteorite hunter. Both Vega and Jasper have their own motives for wanting to find the meteorite, and Torres does an effective job at concealing them from the other characters. Readers may also find Mila’s story intriguing, as we don’t initially know the reason her parents sent her to stay with Vega for the summer.
Vega, Mila, and Jasper embark on an overnight adventure and a treasure hunt that feels very urgent – as urgent as anything can feel for the middle schoolers. Out now from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Vega’s Piece of the Sky has just the right amount of knowledge tidbits about meteorites and space, and plenty of heart. This is a wonderful book for readers who want a story that is both touching and filled with excitement.
I spoke with Jennifer Torres for Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind Vega’s Piece of the Sky, her research process, and more. You can read the full interview here: https://latinxinpublishing.com/blog/v...
November 30, 2025
Three narrators:
Vega - lives in California with her family, who own a convenience store. Her Tata (grandpa) fell and broke his hip, and everyone is worried that he cannot return home because it's not accessible. Her mom is thinking of selling the store.
Mila - has been sent to live with her cousin's (Vega's) family for a "change of scenery" over the summer, because mischief back home has interfered with her mother's mayoral campaign. She's a budding astronomer.
Jasper - has a "free spirit" dad who loves rocks and gems and spends time in the wilderness looking for treasures and then selling them at rock shows. He sees Jasper as an accomplice instead of his son who he needs to take care of.
When a meteor is seen in the sky near Vega's home, the three venture into the desert to see if they can find any meteorites.
Vega - lives in California with her family, who own a convenience store. Her Tata (grandpa) fell and broke his hip, and everyone is worried that he cannot return home because it's not accessible. Her mom is thinking of selling the store.
Mila - has been sent to live with her cousin's (Vega's) family for a "change of scenery" over the summer, because mischief back home has interfered with her mother's mayoral campaign. She's a budding astronomer.
Jasper - has a "free spirit" dad who loves rocks and gems and spends time in the wilderness looking for treasures and then selling them at rock shows. He sees Jasper as an accomplice instead of his son who he needs to take care of.
When a meteor is seen in the sky near Vega's home, the three venture into the desert to see if they can find any meteorites.
December 3, 2025
When rumors of a fallen meteorite swirl in California's dusty Imperial Valley, three middle schoolers band together to claim the treasure, each with their own strike-it-rich motive. Vega Lucero feels personally responsible for her grandfather's broken hip and knows the meteorite can help offset medical bills and keep her family's store afloat; Vega's ever-anxious tagalong cousin, Mila, longs to prove that she can do something worthwhile for once; and out-of-towner Jasper just wants to pacify his rockhound father and get home to a normal life. But when the trio find themselves lost in the desert at night, they set their sights on a new goal: surviving.
This has an intriguing premise, but started slow. The pace picks up once the kids are lost in the desert. While I usually enjoy books with multiple POV narration, I didn't find it very effective here. Vega's chapters are written in first person while Mila and Jaspe's sections employ close third person; the shift from first to third felt jarring to me. Vega is a much more compelling heroine than Mila, who comes off as
This has an intriguing premise, but started slow. The pace picks up once the kids are lost in the desert. While I usually enjoy books with multiple POV narration, I didn't find it very effective here. Vega's chapters are written in first person while Mila and Jaspe's sections employ close third person; the shift from first to third felt jarring to me. Vega is a much more compelling heroine than Mila, who comes off as
October 14, 2024
A neat little science-forward middle grade about hunting down a meteorite. It's part survival like Hatchet mixed with friendship and family because the larger problem is that medical bills are piling up and Vega's mom might sell the business in order to make it all work- she's convinced that if she can find this meteorite all will get better but readers know that's far from the simple solution.
However, like any good and organized middle grade, the problem-solving comes with expected coming-of-age that takes time to develop when you're hit with adversity as happens here. Plus a little space and rock science.
However, like any good and organized middle grade, the problem-solving comes with expected coming-of-age that takes time to develop when you're hit with adversity as happens here. Plus a little space and rock science.
August 22, 2024
This was a fast read and quite enjoyable. It is told in three voices for each of the main characters. Each one has a reason why they want to find a piece of a meteorite but all of them believe it will solve a problem in their life. The adventures they encounter the night of their search bring them closer together and foster an understanding between each one. They do find a meteorite and one of them does end up with it, but not the one that you might expect. Anyone with a fascination with all-things-sky will especially enjoy this book.
September 13, 2024
I love that this is a quick read, and that it feels very realistic. The midnight adventure in the desert is a perfect lesson on what you need to bring (light, footwear, first aid, water, snacks). And I like that the things that go wrong are all realistic (and frightening) things that can go wrong. All of the characters have believable back stories and motivations -- I guess this is the thing about Jennifer Torres -- she writes great, relateable, realistic fiction. I don't love Vega as a character, but I did learn a lot about meteorites.
May 17, 2024
I won this book in a Good Reads Giveaway and we loved it. I read it to my 6 year old as a before bedtime book and she really liked all the astrology and "science stuff" in the book. It opened up a lot of questions about space and rocks so we even used it as a teaching tool. The characters were all realistic and appropriate for this age range and the only issue we had was when they snuck out by themselves at night. However that was resolved with a discussion about safety.
November 1, 2024
Realistic fiction with a touch of adventure, friendships, anxiety
When a meteorite crashes to Earth, Jasper and his Dad head to the California wilderness in search of a piece to sell and get rich. While there, they meet Vega and Mila, two girls whose family owns a convenience store in the area. The kids team up to search for the meteorite, and during a night time desert hike end up becoming friends and saving each other from danger. A decent story.
When a meteorite crashes to Earth, Jasper and his Dad head to the California wilderness in search of a piece to sell and get rich. While there, they meet Vega and Mila, two girls whose family owns a convenience store in the area. The kids team up to search for the meteorite, and during a night time desert hike end up becoming friends and saving each other from danger. A decent story.
July 19, 2024
Vega’s heart for her family and the Lone Star store that her family runs shines through as she seeks a way to save the store. So she sets off on a journey with some unlikely friends to find parts of a meteorite that had crashed near their house. As the story unfolds, you feel for the friends and hope they are not only successful in finding the meteorite but their voices as well.
September 1, 2024
Loved this new one from Jennifer Torres! Three kids set off into the desert to find a meteorite, each with a secret weighing heavily on them. A sharp presentation of what anxiety feels like is presented in Mila, without dragging down the narrative. A really nice teamwork book with fully-drawn kid characters. And lots to learn about the desert ecosystem, astronomy, and mythology.
Read
July 26, 2024Low key family drama mixed with science, a bit of art, and a bit of mild survival peril. Those aspects pair shorter length should give this some wide appeal to kids. Personally, I wish everything went a smidge more in depth. Jasper's father was just horrible in so many ways.
February 13, 2024
“Thoroughly engaging! Vega's Piece of the Sky is a delightful adventure story filled with memorable characters that will have you cheering and biting your nails.”
April 26, 2024
An unlikely trio goes on an adventure-filled hunt for meteorites in this middle grade novel releasing in June!
May 25, 2024
This is cute but falls into the kids saving the incompetent adults category which is not my favorite.
May 27, 2024
Friendship and family and sudden changes in middle schoolers. How much control do we have over our own lives? Thoughtful.
August 5, 2024
Read this to my kids. They enjoyed the multiple POV’s, the inner conflicts, the treasure hunting and the resolution.
September 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. It highlighted a region of the country that isn’t well-known, and I loved the well-rounded characters.
September 17, 2024
A meteorite comes crashing down on the lives of three middle schoolers changing everything they know about family, friendships, and community.
November 4, 2024
Adventurous and fast paced story. Great read for MG readers that enjoy rare rocks and family focused stories.
November 13, 2024
Fantastic mystery caper involving a meteorite, a dying store, and a relationship between kids and parents.
September 25, 2025
Hard to get into this one. I expected more from Jennifer after loving Stef Soto, Taco Queen
November 4, 2025
Fun and easy read that kept me page turning!
January 11, 2026
A fun realistic fiction for kids. 3 stars, but only because I just read something else that knocked my socks off, so I had to re-evaluate my star system. A quality read I would recommend to any kid who likes adventure. It has a treasure hunt feel, and the imagery of the desert is well written.
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